Posted on 04/16/2012 10:05:40 AM PDT by TSgt
A Chicago man who neighbors say was devoted to caring for the swans at a Chicago area apartment complex might have paid for that devotion with his life. Anthony Hensley, 37, apparently died this weekend during a freak accident after a swan attack.
Police say Hensley was in a kayak on a pond at the apartment complex checking on swans. Officials said he either got too close to the swans, or their nest, when one of the birds swam towards his kayak, and the kayak flipped over. “His kayak wasn’t upside down, but it was, like, upwards,” eyewitness Daniel Gamanov said “You could see the tip of it.”
Gamanov saw the tragedy unfold right outside his family’s apartment Saturday morning. He and his friends watched as Hensley’s body was pulled from the pond. It was Hensley’ job to care for the swans. “They probably thought that he was going too close to their eggs, and they were too scared, and they just attacked him,” Gamanov said.
He was awakened by a witness pounding on his apartment window, screaming for someone to call police. By the time he looked out, he could see the kayak, but could see no sign of Hensley.
Witnesses said Hensley came up at least once after his kayak tipped in the pond, but by the time police finally pulled him out of the water, more than a half hour had passed. An autopsy Sunday afternoon determined Hensley drowned.
According to his father, Hensley was a good swimmer, but he ended up in the water while fully clothed and wearing boots. To make the situation worse, police said the swans continued to swim at Hensley as he tried to make it to shore.
Hensley leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.
“I *warned* you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you *knew*, didn’t you? Oh, it’s just a harmless little *swan*, isn’t it?”
I was at Walmart and noticed companies such as Remington and Winchester also make good products to repel Swans. I purchased some and store them next to another Remington product I own, ironically called ‘The Wingmaster’.
In Chicago , even the swans are killers.
I raise geese, ducks and chickens for fun and for when TSHTF. I presently have 60 birds.
I have two goose moms sitting on their eggs, an African Brown (known as a swan goose), and a Toulouse. The eggs are due to hatch within the next week... this will add another 25 birds to the crew. There goes the feed bill. LOL
My birds know me and are not likely to attack me, but the geese and ducks are VERY protective during breeding season and when they on their eggs. They are more than willing to fight to the death to protect their own.
It seems this poor fellow should have worn a life vest.... for $30 he would still be alive.
The first part of Wild Animals is the word Wild. Harsh lesson to be paid, but I’m really not that surprised. Swans are more aggressive than geese, and being goosed is called “goosed” for a reason. Swans are known to go after boaters and jet-skiers, and I would not want a giant bird to go after me.
I’d bet this is why Forest Lawn Glendale took out their swan/duck pond. Vicious swans.
Those damn Amish swans like Treyswan.
Don’t know about Swans, but I was attacked by a Canadian goose when I was 6 years old while standing in chest deep water. That Goose would have eaten my lunch if it hadn’t been for Mom. Did you know Geese have teeth?
I would not want to go near a swan nest. That would be a nasty fight or flight.
I guess he did a Swan Dive............
Yep, they have nasty dispositions....but like a charging goose, stand your ground and when they are almost on you, grab them by the neck just behind the head, when they are lifted up off the ground, you can throw them far enough away to not get bitten...nasty beaks if like a goose, serated like a steak knife....they attack just like a goose, run at you flapping their wings.
Daniel is not, like, the most articulate witness imaginable, is he...
Talk about your “black swan” events....
Swimming in his Arizona Tea pool diving for skittle fish.
Well, I’ll swan.......
We’ve been attacked by swans/ducks on several occasions while trying to launch or trailer our boats.
I’m thinking Thanksgiving for the homeless.
“I chased off...Canadian Geese from my dad’s lawn when I watched their place.”
Dang foreign geese. I bet they were illegals. There’s probably some weird sports irony in using a hockey stick to scare off Canadians too.
Funny article. Thanks for the link.
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